Keeping Livingston up would be biggest achievement, says David Martindale
Bullish David Martindale dismissed any notion that he would settle for Livingston finishing in the relegation play-off spot because he remains convinced his bottom-of-the-table side can secure their survival outright.
The Lions were recently six points adrift of 11th-placed Ross County at the foot of the cinch Premiership, with the Dingwall side holding two games in hand.
After ending a demoralising 17-game run without a league victory when they defeated St Mirren 1-0 on Saturday, Livi closed to within three points of the Staggies, who now only have one game in hand.
The bottom two sides meet in the Highlands this weekend at the start of a huge week in which the West Lothian club will play the three teams immediately above them, with the County showdown followed by a midweek home game against ninth-placed Motherwell and then a trip to 10th-placed St Johnstone.
Asked if he would settle for 11th place now and a two-legged play-off against a Championship promotion-chaser to try to secure Livi's survival in the top flight, manager Martindale said: "No, I want 10th, I want ninth, I want to try and get as high as we can.
"If you said to me 'bang on 11th right now, league ends', no, I wouldn't be happy with that.
"I think we've still got to try and achieve 10th or better. I know it's a big ask, a huge hill in front of us, but I think we've got more than enough in the locker to overcome that."
Livi seemed doomed to relegation a couple of weeks ago but they have won their last two games - one of which was away to Championship side Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup - to improve their predicament.
"Psychologically has it made a difference?" mused Martindale at his pre-match media briefing on Wednesday. "Has it made the Saturday night and Sunday morning a little bit easier for everyone? Of course it has.
"But for me, you get that elation for 15 minutes after the whistle, you love it. Then, with me, bang, straight away, I'm only focused on the next game. Win, lose or draw, six points adrift, three points adrift, sitting in 10th, my attitude and my positivity coming into work is not going to change."
Martindale knows his team have a huge opportunity to improve their situation further by winning away to County, where a two-goal victory will be enough to lift them off the bottom on goal difference.
"Win, lose or draw, how we come into work the next day is just going to be the same, it's not going to affect what we're trying to do in the building, but we're under no illusions about how big a game it is," he said.
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